The Heat have reportedly suspended Jimmy Butler after he missed a team flight

On By Littum

The Miami Heat suspend Jimmy Butler for two games after he missed a team flight for a road trip, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports.

Butler missed a Wednesday flight as the Heat traveled to Milwaukee for a Thursday game against the Bucks, which will be televised nationally on TNT, according to the report. According to the report, Butler intended to join the team for the game, but will instead be suspended on the road trip, which also includes a Saturday game against the Brooklyn Nets.

The suspension is the second of the season for Butler, who has been embroiled in turmoil amid reports that he has demanded a trade from Miami. The Heat previously suspended Butler on Jan. 3 for seven games, citing “several instances of conduct detrimental to the team.”

A day before his first suspension, Butler indicated his desire to play for another team in a postgame press conference.

“I’d like to see me get my joy back in playing basketball, and wherever that is, we’ll find out pretty quickly,” Butler said on Jan. 2. “I want my joy back. I’m happy here off the court, but I want to be back to something dominant, I want to help this team win. Right now, I’m not.”

Amid initial reports that Butler wanted out, Heat president Pat Riley said in December that “we’re not trading Jimmy Butler.” The team’s attitude changed after his first suspension. In their statement announcing Butler’s seven-game suspension, the Heat also announced that “we will listen to offers.”

Butler’s seven-game suspension was without pay and cost him about $2.4 million in salary. The NBPA has stated that it will file an appeal in hopes of reducing or removing the financial penalty.

Butler served the suspension despite the planned appeal and returned to play in Miami’s three games since, while averaging 13 points, 3.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game. For the season, Butler is averaging 17 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. His scoring average is the lowest since his third season in the league in 2013-14.

A Heat team that has advanced to the NBA Finals twice with Butler is off to a 21-21 start, good for ninth in the Eastern Conference as of Wednesday.

Butler, 35, has been linked in trade reports to the Phoenix Suns, and reportedly there is a mutual desire between Butler and the Suns to join forces. The Suns made a trade with the Jazz on Tuesday to acquire draft capital that could be used to facilitate a deal to acquire Butler.

The NBA trade deadline is February 6th. Meanwhile, dysfunction continues to fester on a Heat team that prides itself on team culture so much that it has boasted of it in writing on their home court. That’s certainly not the team culture the franchise wants to portray.

Meanwhile, it’s not the first time Butler’s burned relationship is on the way out the door.